Sunday, May 11, 2008

The Original Tail Angel: The Cookie Lady


TROUTVILLE, VA--Two days ago, climbing up the Blue Ridge Mountains, at the very top of a very steep hill, we came upon the house of June Curry...The Cookie Lady.

Her hospitality to Transam bikers started the whole 'Trail Angel' phenomenon. Well, she is in ill health and no longer passes out cookies to the bike travelers as she has done since 1976. She no longer has lodging for weary cyclists either.

But the sign is still there. And we were certainly ready for a break when we reached her hilltop house in Afton, Virginia. Jerry and Lynne were riding with us. We stopped for a while and wished we could have met this legend of the trail.

Her bike house is full of 30 years of memorabilia from the trail. We rested outside and thought about her 30 years of greeting people just like us. However, the afternoon was waning and we had to ride on. Good luck...June Curry. From all of us.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Mango and Mike,

I remember the Cookie Lady! We stayed with her in 1984 when my dad and I were heading west to east in the final stretch. Slept on her couch if I recall and met her father and ate her cookies. Sad that she's in poor health. What a great lady.

Keep on truckin' (and postin').

Alibi Steve

Anonymous said...

Hi Mr. Knudsen! How are you doing on the road? I wonder how far you have gone by now. Always be careful! And good luck!

Lesley said...

Lots of love from the Duke City, Jon! We're thinking about you, and hoping that you're having a blast!